Gas-engine.



` A. J. DEXTER.

GAS ENGINE,

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 14, 1911.

yp?? Patented Sept. 17, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

fig-T.; mm 2.5'

3 wwe/nto@ A. J. DEXTER.

GAS ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 14, 1911.

Id Patented sept. 17, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

ALBERT J. .DEXTER, F INDIAN ORCHARD, MASSACHUSETTS.

GAS-ENGINE.

Specification o1 Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. g17 1912.

Application filed .Tune 14, 1911. Serial No.- 633,658.

- T 0 all lwhom t may concern Be it known that I, ALBERT J. DEXTER, a. citizen of the United States, residing at Indian Orchard, in the county of Hampden and State of llflassachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulv Improvements lin Gas-Engines, of which the following is a` specification, reference being had to the ac-' companying. drawings.

This inventionrelates to gas or gasolene engines and has for its object to provide a multiple cylinder four-cycle engine of the above character which is simple and elticient in construction and extremely positive in operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide an englne of the above described, character of such construction that a maxi.- v mum of working effclency of horse-power 1sA obtained with a minimum of weight and vibration.

Another object is to provide a four-cylinder engine of the horizontal type, a hori-v zontally disposed driven shaft, and means; arranged thereon for automatically controlling the inlet of the `gaseous mixture to the cylinders and the exhaust of the burned gases therefrom, and means for transmitting. a slow rotary movementfrom the relatively high speed reciprocating pistons to said driven shaft.

With the above and other objects in View.

the invention consists of the novel. features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, ijn which*v v Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sect-ion of a gas or gasolene engine embodying my improvements; Fig. 2 is a section taken on;

the line 2 2 of Fig. 1 Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. Yl is a detail section taken on the line 4--1 vof Fig. 1; and'Fig. 5 is a section taken on metrically opposed. The cylinders are open at each end, the vertical supports 5 being: provided with openings 10 which are in line with the inner'peripheries ot the cylinder walls. The supports 5 are. further provided with central horizontally disposed enlargements or bearings 11 in which the opposite ends ofi-a horizontally disposed shaft 12 are mounted. Continuous rotary1 movement is imparted to this shaft. in the operation of the engine, and such movement is transmitted through .the medium of balance'or liy wheels 13 xed to the opposite ends of the shaft, around which the power belts pass.

The center of each of the engine cylinders has formed therein a short 'circumferential chamber 14 in the opposite side walls of which the inlet and exhaust valves 15 andl 16 respectively are seated. The short longitudinally extending inlet and outlet chambers 17 and 18 are formed on lopposite sides of the wall of the chamber 14 and are out of alinement. and close communication between the latter chambers and the chamber 14, said valves being automatically controlled by suitable means arranged 'on the driven shaft 12 to be later described. The wallzof the chamber` 17 is provided with an air inlet port 19 and a similar port 20 to which the gas or gasolene supply pipe 21 which extends from a suitable source of supply is connected. An exhaust pipe 22 extends into the chamber 18.

The valves 15 and 16 open In each of the cylinders a pair of pistons 23 are arranged. These pistons reciprocate in opposite directions upon the, ignition of the explosive charge. The 'connecting rods 24 of the pist-ons 23 extend longitudinally through the cylinders and have their 'outer ends pivotally connected to. the` horizontal arms of the cranks 25, the other arms of which` are cylindrical in form as indicated at 26 and are rotatably mounted in the bearing sleeves 27 formed upon the shaft bearings 11. Upon the ends of these cylindrical arms of the cranks 25 the beveled pinions 28 are fixed, said' pinions meshing with the teeth of the beveled ears 29 keyed upon vthe horizontally dispose driven shaft 12. ,It 1s the principal object of my invention to transmit continuous rotary movement from the reciprocating pistons 23 to vcn the shaft 12 and at a reduced speed. This is accomplished through the medium of the co-acting pinions 28 and gears 29 and by properly timing the explosions in the various c linders of the engine so as to utilize the ull expansive force of the exploded gases, and eliminate to the greatest possible extent, undue waste of energy. To the' which are opposed to the plates 30, and ad- 'jacent to the shaft 12. These lugs are adapted' to successivel engage the cam lugs 31 on the plates 30 1n the vrotationjof the shaft 12 whereby the disks 32 are moved longitudinally upon said shaft against the tension of the coiled springs 36 which are arranged between the disks and the collars 37 fixed upon the shaft. The disks 32 are further provided adjacent to their outer edges with the lugs 38'which are formed upon the same faces of the disks as the lugs 35. The

lugs-31 correspondin number with the en-A gine cylinders, and the lug 38 on one of the disks 32 isl adapted to engage the valve stems 15 vto vopen the same and admit a mixture of gas andair to the cylinder chamber 14. The other of the disks 32 controls the exhaust valves in a similar manner, the lug 38 engaging with the valve stems 16' to open the valves 16 and exhaust the burned gases from the engine cylinders. Coiled springs 39 are arranged upon the valve stems 15 and 16 and normally act to yieldingly hold the valves upon their seats.

A spark plug 40 of any preferred form is arranged in each of the cylinder walls at a point opposite the chambers 14 and is adapted to explode the compressed gases in the central portion of the cylinder. The explosion of the gases in the respective vengine cylinders is properly timed so that no two explosions occur simultaneously. This timing means consists'of the disk or collar 41 which is rigidly fixed upon the shaft 12 and has formed upon its peripheries the cam lug 42. vThis lug is adapted to engage the resilient metallic contact lates 43, and these plates are'so disposed with relationto the lug 42 that the electric circuit is connected to create the spark at the proper time in the movement of the pistons in the respective cylinders. These springs are lixed upon bolts 44 arranged in the stationary plates 30 and yproperly insulatedv therefrom. The plates 43 are connected by means of suitable wiring to the spark plu 16, through an electric battery and aspa'r vcoil or other spark generator, and in the operation of the engine,lt-he electric circuit is connected through the collar 41, shaft 12, supportl 5 and the engine cylinder to the outside of the spark plug, across the spark gap and through the connecting wires, battery and spark coil to the spring p'lates 43.v

The operation of my improved engine is as follows: As shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the gaseous mixture has been compressed innthe cylinder 6, the inlet and exhaust valves of said cylinder both being closed and the charge on the point of being exploded. In the lower cylinder 8, the pis- Atons have just completed their inward movement and exhausted the burned gases of the previous explosion from the cylinder, the exhaustvalve 16 having also just closed. As

the cam lug on the collar .41 contacts' with the spring plate 43 the electric circuit is co-nnected, the spark created and the charge exploded in the cylinder 6 so that the pistons 23 therein are driven outwardl -in opposite directions,` thereby` rotating t e vert1cally disposed cylindrical arms of the cranks 25 and through the intermeshing inions 28 and gears 29 rotating the driven s aft 12. This rotative movement is of course, also imparted through the medium of the-remaining pinions 28 to the other of the cranks 25, and the pistons 23 in the cylinder 8 which is diametrically opposed to cylinder 6 are also moved outwardly. At this point, or immediately after the charge is exploded in .cylinder 6, the valve operating disk 32 is gases are drawn into said cylinder. This opening of the valve is veffected by the engagement'of the lug 38 with the valve stem' when thev ,disk 32 is returned to its normal position by the spring 36.

The crank arms 25 which are connected to the rods 24 of the pistonsl in cylinders 7 and 9 are vdisposed opposite to thecran'k arm shown in Fig. 1 or, in other words, the pistons in said latter cylinders are at the outer ends of the cylinders at the reverse end of the stroke to those shown in Fig. 1. Through the medium of the last mentioned crank arms, the pistons in cylinders 7 and 9 are moved inwardly upon t-he explosion taking place in cylinder 6, and simultaneously therewith 'the exhaust of cylinder 7 is automatically opened so that said cylinder is cleansed in the inward movement of the pistons.V In cylinder 9, compression of the gases takes place, bot-h the inlet and exhaust valves remaining closed. The arrangement of the timing mechanism and the valve operating means upon the shaft 12 is such that the same action takes place in each cylinder to complete the cycle, as above set forth,` in the following order: first, explosion in cyl- Vinder 6, char e enters cylinderV 8l through the opening o the inlet valve, exhaust from cylinder 7, and compression for the next explosion in cylinder 9; seco-nd, explosion in cylinder 9,`compression in cylinder 8, charging in cylinder 7 and exhaust from cylinder 6; third, explosion in cylinder 8, compression in cylinder 7 chargingA 1n cylinder 6,

and exhaust'from cylinder 9; and fourth,

cxplosionin cylinder 7, compression in. cyliuder 6, charging in cylinder 9 and exhaustfrom cylinder 8. The fifth or next explosion takes place in cylinder 6 as in the first also desirable in many instances. The pistion.

'same principle may be lappliedto a two or is claimed is tons in opposite cylinders moving in the same direction will absorb some of `the shock, and thereby lessen vibration. As the explosion in the cylinders of -my engine takes place in the central portions thereof, and .the cylinders are open at their ends, so that there is no pressure upon the-cylinder heads as in the ordinary engine construction, the vibration of the parts is further reduced,'and the expansive action of the gases upon the-oposed pistons, which exerts substantially te same pressure thereon and moves the 'pistons in opposite directions is also a further contributory feature of my 'construction tothe elimination of Vibration.

It is believed that from the foregoing description taken in connection With'the accompanyingdrawings, the construction and manner of operation of my improved engine will be fully understood. v.

The device is comparatively simple, very positive in its Aaction and extremely strong and durable in construction.

It will be understood that the form and manner of assembling the various elements may be greatly varied or modified without departing from the essential featureor sacricing any of the advantages of the inven- It will further be obvious that the six-cylinder engine, or any other multiple which it may be desired to employ for special purposes.

Having thus described the invention what 1. In an engine of the character described, a plurality` of horizontally disposed cylinders, each having reciprocating pistons to move the same lo therein and provied with inlet and exhaust ports, a rotatablymounted shaftarran'ged in parallel relation to said cylinders,' plates connecting said cylinders through which the shaft extends," valves normally closingthe inlet and4 exhaust ports of the cylinders,

means co-acting with said last named means ngitudinally Von the shaft, whereby the openlng of the valves is Y 2. In an engine of the character described, a plurality of horizontally disposed `cylinders,V each having oppositely reciprocating pistons thereinand provided' with inlet and exhaust ports, a rotatably mounted shaft, valves normally closing said inlet and exhaust ports, valve enga -ng members longi- Valves at predetermined times, springs yieldingly holding said ymembers against longitudinal movement and ada ted to return the same to their normal positions, and stationary means coacting with said movable members .to move the same longitudinally on the shaft, whereby the opening of the valves is effected.

- 3. In an engine of the characterP described, a plurality of horizontally disposed cylintudinally movable on said shaft to open said ders each having oppositely reciprocating pistons therein and centrally provided Ywith inlet and exhaust ports, a rotatably mounted shaft .arranged in parallel relation to said cylinders, stationary plates connecting said cylinders, disks lon itudinally movablev on saidshaft, said plgates having cam lugs formed thereon, said disks engaging sald cams whereby said disks are moved in one direction on the shaft, springs acting to return the disks to their normal positions, and a lug formed upon each of said disks at their peripheries to e age the stems of said valves and automatica y open the same at a predetermined time.

It. In an engine of thecharacter described,

a plurality of horizontally positioned cylinders, each of said cylinders being open at each end and'ha-ving oppositelyreciprocat-, mg pistons, therein and centrally providedE with inlet and exhaust ports, spring seated Valves normally closing said ports, the stems of said valves being longitudlnally disposed," a shaft rotatably mounted and disposed in parallel relation to said cylinders, stationary plates arranged between the cylinders and fixed thereto, said shaft extending through f said plates, said plates having 'cam lugs formed thereon, spring held disks keyed on each having a spaced lug formed thereon',

said disks having additional lugs formed thereon (iO-acting with the cam lugs on said 139 stationary plates whereby said disks are moved longltudinallr agalnst the tension of the springs, said sprmgs returning thet'disks to their normal itions and engaging the l5 lugs thereof wi the Vviable .Stems tonutona'tically openfthe same at a. predetermined imo.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT J. DEXTER.

VVitnesSesu` HARRY F. BUSCH, 

